U.S.

People First June 22, 2012

Editorâ€™s Note: The â€œPeople Firstâ€ section is compiled from information from the Air Force Personnel Center, TRICARE, 56th Force Support Squadron, Airman and Family Readiness Flight, Veterans Affairs, the civilian personnel office and armed forces news services. For the complete story, go to the web address listed at the end of the story.

AF officials launch online civilian retirement tool

Air Force human resources officials added a new feature in May to the Employee Benefits Information System Web application that allows Air Force appropriated fund civilians to request benefits-related actions online.

The HR Link module will help civilians prepare for retirement, request a retirement estimate and acquire the necessary paperwork to pay a military or civilian deposit.

â€œHR Link provides a means for civilians to submit a request for a retirement estimate as well as military and civilian deposit requests,â€ said Sharon Mack, Air Force human resources specialist. â€œThe module asks a series of questions to help civilians submit their requests. After a request is submitted, they will be able to monitor the status of their requests through the myPers website.â€

The module is the latest online tool developed by the Air Force Personnel Center Benefits and Entitlements Service Team to improve the customer service experience for civilians. It is accessible in EBIS through the Air Force Portal or the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil. For additional information regarding HR Link, go to the myPers website and enter 4408 in the search box. EBIS access instructions may also be found on the myPers website by entering 4872 in the search box.

Heroes emerge in crash

A Misawa Air Base bus was hit from behind by a Japanese national south of Sendai when returning from Tokyo, June 7.

Lucky for the driver who hit the bus; his heroes were soon to emerge from three vehicles, including the bus he impacted.

A group of eight servicemembers, all from the 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron, jumped into action to save the Japanese man and remove the damaged vehicles to get traffic moving again.

Senior Airman Carlos Cassano and Airman 1st Class Nathan Wright, both 35th LRS vehicle operators, were the first ones at the driverâ€™s car. Wright stopped the car after it crashed into a guardrail. Cassano opened up the dented driver-side door to pull the injured driver out of his heavily damaged car.

â€œThe driver walked away from the site, and did not know he was injured,â€ said Cassano. It was then the Airmen realized the vehicle was on fire and Staff Sgt. Donald Jackson, 35th LRS Training Section supervisor, ran to grab a fire extinguisher from his bus to extinguish the fire.

Air Force launches first special tactics wingÂ

U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command stood up the 24th Special Operations Wing in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., JuneÂ 12Â to meet the growing demand for the unique capabilitiesÂ special tactics air commandosÂ provide.

AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel said creation of this new brand of wing better prepares the special tactics community to meet the swiftly evolving requirements of a global special operations forces partnership.

â€œWhile the pace of global special operations has been demanding throughout this past decade, we cannot expect to slow down over the next,â€ he said.

It is this pace that makes theÂ activation of the 24th SOW so monumental.

America has been at war running operations for more than a decade with a volunteer force, FielÂ said.Â The special tactics Airmen who have been a constant presence in these operations comprise less than half of a single percent of the population.

In assuming command of the 24th SOW, Col. Robert Armfield recognized the magnitude of what is being asked of his Airmen and what they are accomplishing under a highly demanding operational tempo.

Airmen save drowning man

â€œHelp!â€ someone faintly calls out.

You look out to the ocean and see a manâ€™s arms flailing about, half a mile into the surf, struggling to stay afloat as waves crash down on him. What would you do, knowing lifeguards are not close enough to save him?

Three 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Airmen from Seymour Air Force Base, N.C.,Â found themselves in this situation while spending the day at Atlantic Beach, N.C., and saved the life of a 49-year-old man June 2.

Airmen 1st Class Dylan Seng, Ashley Irelan and Alexis LoBasso, 4th AMXS crew chiefs, went to the beach to relax, soak up some sun and hit the waves, but were thrown into a life or death situation.

â€œLoBasso, Irelan and I decided to go into the ocean,â€ said Seng, a native of Palmyra, Pa. â€œWhile we were swimming, LoBasso and I heard a man cry out for help. We thought it was a joke at first but we heard him for a second time, so LoBasso swam straight to the man and asked if he was okay. The man immediately replied, â€˜No.â€™â€

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